Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Barbera d’Asti achieved DOCG status in 2008. Warm vibrant Ruby color with a bouquet of berry fruit aromas and sweet perfumed herb spice. On the palate flavors of plum, cherry and blackberry with pepper and herbs, good structure, balanced with savory acidity and soft tannins. Medium+ finish ending with juicy fruit. Exceptional! Great Value! — 2 years ago

Serge Mismetti

9.1

Robe trouble et dense
Bouquet kirsché, réglisse
Bouche : du fruit encore présent longueur moyenne mais le tout est un peu brouillon
Belle expérience cependant — 4 years ago

with Philippe

Stas Medvedev

9.4

🏅 Rating 94+/100 (4,45⭐)

This is my 3rd and the last bottle over the past year. It definitely sits at its plateau now and fully awake. Difficult to say when the drinking window will close down. ⁣
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Lots of energy and precision. Cabernet Sauvignon dominant. Perfumed black currant jam with leaves. Complex tertiary aromas make a beautiful bouquet. Balance of tannins, fruits and acidity at its perfection. Tannins have soften but not yet faded away.⁣
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Undoubted 2nd Growth quality. — 6 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

Bouquet of strawberries and rhubarb, fig jam, herbal notes, saddle leather, moderate acidity, cedar box. Lovely. — 7 years ago

with Deked1

Jack Tan

9.8

Just beautiful. Long smooth finish. Bouquet was complex yet distinct. Paired with a tomahawk with the bestest of friends. La dolce vita! — 8 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 2014 Angélus is now really beginning to blossom. It has an outstanding bouquet with plush but delineated black cherry and cassis fruit, crushed violet and just a hint of pencil lead. There is wonderful focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with tightly knit black fruit, graphite and spice. There is weight and presence, but it is effortlessly counterbalanced by the freshness and acidity, whilst the finish if extraordinarily long. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2018) — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

While not the highest scoring wine of the weekend, it was my favorite. The 99 Palmer is gorgeously textured, sexy, velvet in the mouth, nicely rounded subtle dark red cassis, mint, menthol, dry stones, dark florals, forest floor, smoke, soft leather, iodine, fresh floral bouquet, beautiful round acidity and a well balanced elegant finish. Paired nicely with our Ribeye and rack of lamb. Still needed a two hour decant. If you have the 99, I’d hold it another 10 years if you have the patience. — 8 years ago

Anthony Cammarata Jr.

9.0

This 1994 Bordeaux is a pleasant treat and perfect compliment to our assortment of charcuterie and Italian antipasto. Decanted for one hour but could have been longer as the wine continues to open up by every sip. This wine has a beautiful bouquet with earthy flavors including tobacco, leather, and hints of fig. Buon Natale! — 2 years ago

with Michael

Max Waldron

9.0

With carignan- jammy and delicious but not obvious — 5 years ago

Eric

9.5

Rich, lush, and ripe. No game or pepper. — 6 years ago

Bassel Sommelier

9.1

Lovely lucid structure with soft tannins that open up with time. A bouquet of delicate scents that goes along with any dish! — 7 years ago

Max Reichwage

9.2

39 years old, tertiary town, mushrooms, wax, lots of bottle bouquet, good with dessert! — 7 years ago

Bill Bender

9.3

After a spirited tussle between myself and the Durand vs a dry and crumbly cork I was able to double decant this and segregate away the remnants of floating debris. I was immediately struck by the bouquet which was unmistakably borne from Cabernet Franc (and I believe this blend is less than 10%). It was a positive sign. The wine is completely intact and boasts ample fruit albeit waning acidity. Simple Concord grape, bruised black plum and sweet oak flavors are holding on 2 hours in. This has some time left, but not much. This is a testament to Opus One quality in the early days (I believe this was the 3rd or 4th vintage) and while I think the ‘87-‘97 era was their best, this is an profound example of an exemplary wine at age 37! — 8 years ago

Kate

9.3

Happy Friday and celebrating with this wine. Most amazing winery I ever visited. Thank you to my sister in law that booked the private tasting and introduced me to this wine. She’s one of my besties. Love the smell of the bouquet of flowers that are soft and eloquent. Interesting that the company also has flowers one of my favorite Pinot noirs. This iwine is slightly too cherry finish. But I love the velvet texture. — 4 years ago

David Nicewicz

9.4

Off to the right bank and the most affordable top notch Pomerol that isn’t Petrus - VCC. Opened up with a bouquet of graphite, truffles and dark fruits that was reflected perfectly in the palate. Good structure and finish but I kind of expected it to develop a bit more given the character and charm out of the gate. Great experience overall. — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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10

The 1945 La Mission Haut-Brion from the château cellar is transcendental. It is blessed with the most beautiful bouquet you can imagine, effortless and natural, featuring woodland, red-berried fruits, a minerally quality and a faint touch of leafiness; given time to settle, it develops a lovely gamy note. The palate is medium- rather than full-bodied and sublimely balanced, upholding that effortless grace with an elegant, bittersweet, dried orange peel finish. One of the most harmonious wines I have ever consumed. Perfect. Tasted at the La Mission Haut-Brion vertical in London in September 2009. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2020)
— 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

Coming from an exceptional vintage, the 2005 Viña Tondonia from R. Lopez de Heredia is a compelling blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%), all sourced from their estate vineyards and aged for six years prior to bottling. This sensational wine opens with a bright bouquet of leather, cranberry, orange rind, forest floor and suggestions of black tea. Showing incredible focus and poise, this balanced Rioja is framed around flavors off leather, red cherry, teaberry, Mandarin orange and pipe tobacco that sit alongside brisk minerality, as the wine shows tremendous freshness and length through the long finish. This is an absolute stunning effort from this storied Estate and should continut to drink beautifully for years to come. Drink 2019-2035- 94 — 7 years ago

Ariel

9.0

Full bouquet, taste of fruit blackberry and aged oak with a noticeable amount of tannin and a loooong finish as it opened up. Going from tangy to spicy and leaves your mouth feeling like it went to sleep for a good 30 seconds. — 8 years ago

Sara

10

Great! Floral, and just dry enough. — 8 years ago

Chris Bensick

9.0

Our other Thanksgiving wine. A bit dried out, but a lovely bouquet. Good cork. Of the recent Leovilles, I prefer the 78 Barton, and next the 81 Las Cases. This comes in third, but not shabby at all! — 8 years ago